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Abstract Introduction The use of low-cost sensors is becoming more prevalent in society and could help improve worker health and safety. Our aim was to gain insights on how to best develop these technologies and expand their use by relevant stakeholders. Methods As part of stakeholder engagement activities in the Exposome Project for Health and Occupational Research (EPHOR), we developed a cross-sectional online survey to understand the acceptability and use of low cost sensors in the workplace from the perspective of occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals. Results were analysed using chi-squared tests. Results There were 195 survey respondents, mainly from the Netherlands (79; 41%) or the UK (69; 35%). Respondents were most interested in receiving information on peaks of exposure to different hazards (115; 81%), signalling of exposure above thresholds (109; 77%), and stimulating good working practices (106; 75%). There was no difference in sensor use by country, sector, or company size, but use was more common in hygienists compared to non-hygienists (67% vs 41%; p0.001). Discussion While monitoring instruments are a typical part of many OSH professionals’ work, use of low-cost sensors is less common. However, there is an interest in adopting low cost sensors and wearables to help OSH professionals understand patterns of exposure and improve exposure management practices. Conclusion Development of practical lower cost sensors and wearables for day-to-day management of workplace exposures should include OSH professionals. This will help ensure that sensor data collected are useful to the target audience and will encourage the use of sensors to promote worker health.
Mueller et al. (Mon,) studied this question.